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Photo: Danny Clinch

Pat Green.

When Pat Green took the stage at The Railhead inside Boulder Station on Saturday night, he wasted no time in getting one thing off his chest: He was glad to be rid of RCA, the label with whom he split after releasing his fifth studio album in 2009 and with plans for a new record in the works.

With just a hint of lament over missing opportunities to play big venues and historic arenas like Madison Square Garden, Green quickly made clear that it doesn’t take major-label backing to connect with a honky-tonk crowd. Here are five things that stood out from the show:

1) Green knows his audience. Before landing his first major-label gig in 2001, he solidified himself as a player in the Texas country subgenre and received significant criticism for crossing over to the mainstream. His 90-minute set included songs popular with fans of both stages of his career.

2) Green and his band members share an unmistakable chemistry onstage that carried into the crowd. While Green joked with female fans about removing his shirt most of the night, the lead guitar player threw at least a dozen picks into the audience. A little something for everyone.

3) At times, the band overpowered Green’s vocals through the house speakers. Luckily, the crowd was singing so loud, no one seemed to notice.

4) As the night came to a close, the two-time Grammy nominee led the crowd in a chant of “Pat f***ing Green, Pat f***ing Green” in exchange for more music. Hey, whatever works!

5) Most attendees seated behind the first five rows barely left their seats. The seemingly out of place blonde girl with a tattoo sleeve sitting next to me noticed, too. At one point, she said incredulously, “Man, if people don’t start getting up to dance in this place, I’m gonna be pissed!”